The Report leads
with PERSPECTIVE, an analysis piece; followed by UPDATE, a summary of some
recent news and developments; and then CHRONICLE
which includes analyses, statements, new resources, appeals and action alerts
related to West Papua. Anyone interested in contributing a PERSPECTIVE
or responding to one should write to edmcw@msn.com.
We also welcome suggestions of resources and analysis for listing in the
CHRONICLE section. The opinions expressed in Perspectives are the author's
and not necessarily those of WPAT or ETAN.For
ongoing news on West Papua
subscribe
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CONTENTS

This edition's
Perspective presents the views of the governments
of Solomon Islands, Tonga and Indonesia as presented during the UN General
Assembly's general debate.

Update summarizes the recent
meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum where West Papua
was prominent on the agenda. The Forum agreed to send a "fact-finding
mission" to West Papua. The Widodo Administration
to revive and expand the Merauke Industrial Food and
Energy Estate Project (MIFEE), a project that will have disastrous consequences
for local Papuans. Police twice this month assaulted Papuan
students in the Timika area, killing one. The
Defense Minister has announced plans to resume
recruiting paramilitaries in certain areas,
including West Papua. There is a long tradition of military employment
of nationalist thugs to intimidate local populations. The
investigation of the December 2014 Paniai
police murder of Papuans remains stalled.

In Chronicle:
New report over emphasizes
alleged Papuan violence at the expense of what it even calls
the "far larger and far more active presence" of the political pressure
groupswithin and outside West Papua.
Maori Television broadcasts first directly-reported
segments on West Papua by a New Zealand network. Indonesian diplomat
answers article on growing international
efforts by West Papuans.

PERSPECTIVEPacific Islands' Leaders Support
West Papua at the UNby The Editors

The growing regional concern
over the plight of Papuans in West Papua has been demonstrated in
such key regional groupings as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)
(see past articles from the West
Papua Report on the MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (see
article below ). Now, regional leaders have brought their concerns to the United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Their remarks sparked what may be the
first discussion in the UNGA on West Papua since the UN body "took note"
of the Act of Free Choice in 1969.

In 2013 Vanuatu's then-Prime
Minister Moana Kalosil Carcasse,
called on the
UN to "rectify" the "historical error" that led people of West Papua to be "sacrificed to gratify the appetite for
the natural resources which this country possess. Today they are still
the victims of ignorance of the UN."

Prime Minister Sogavare
updated the UNGA on developments at the MSG and the Pacific Islands
Forum (PIF). He urged Indonesia to accept unrestricted access to
a PIF a fact-finding mission to West Papua.
(See below on prospects for the success of this fact-finding mission.)

Sogavare called attention to "the continuing concerns of human rights
violations in the Papua and West Papua regions of Indonesia." He said
that the "Solomon Islands together with the Pacific Islands Forum are
seeking genuine dialogue and cooperation with Indonesia. The outreach
is to resolve and dissolve reported allegations of human rights violations
occurring on two of Indonesia's ethnic Melanesian regions namely Papua
and West Papua."

He called on the UN Human Rights Council "to do more in investigating and monitoring of allegations
of human rights abuse and violence on ethnic Melanesians in the concerned
regions of Indonesia."

He concluded by stating: "In the long term however,
the United Nations cannot shy away from the root causes of these violations."
Earlier in his speech, he called "for the full and swift
implementation of the 1960 declaration on the granting of
Independence to colonized countries and peoples."

SAMIUELA 'AKILISI POHIVA, Prime Minister of Tonga. UN Photo.

Tonga's Prime Minister
urged the General Assembly "to work together against injustice and cruel violations
of human rights. And in the case of West Papua in Melanesia in the Pacific,
this is within our power. It is a choice that those with power and privilege
can make. The United Nations has the duty to closely follow up this
West Papua case, and necessary action be taken to stop the brutal and
inhuman activities."

Indonesia exercised its
right of reply by rejecting Tonga's and the Solomon Islands' "references
to the 'so-called human rights issue in West Papua' as "dangerously
misleading,'" according to a UN media summary. Indonesia's representative
said that "her country had a robust national human rights protection
system and continued to strengthen its related institutions and legislation."
Any references to "inaccurate allegations" of human rights violations were
politically motivated.

"The provinces of Papua and West Papua
enjoyed wide-ranging autonomy, guaranteed by national laws, including
in the election of governors and other heads of regional Governments.
The Government was committed to continuing engagement, in good faith,
with Pacific island countries, with which some of its people had strong
commonalities, for peace and prosperity in the region," according to
the UN report.

Tonga's delegate responded that "his country
had received reports of and was concerned about alleged human rights
violations." His country "would like to engage in friendly dialogue
with Indonesia to gain a better understanding of violations and perhaps
establish a fact-finding mission to determine the situation on the ground."

The delegate from the Solomon Islands noted that "All States had
a legal responsibility to uphold human rights and to take measures against
human rights violations. The Solomon Islands would like to work with
Indonesia on violations in Papua and West Papua. Indeed, his country
was also ready to work with Indonesia and with everyone in the multilateral
system through the Human Rights Council."

The 16-country Pacific Island Forum (PIF), which met in Port Moresby
from September 8-10, addressed the plight of West Papuans under Indonesian
rule, but did so gingerly reflecting divided opinion among Forum members.
The Forum's largest members Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New
Guinea were reluctant to challenge Indonesia directly.

The
Forum's statement recognized Indonesian sovereignty over West
Papua but noted concern over human rights and "called all parties to
protect and uphold the human rights of all residents in Papua." Members
empowered the forum chair, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill,
"to convey the views of the Forum to the Indonesian Government, and
to consult on a fact finding mission to discuss the situation in Papua
with the parties involved." (see following item on this decision).

Indonesia's Vice Foreign Minister, Abdurrahman Mohamed
Fachir
argued that the PIF was "not the right forum to discuss West Papua."
He explained that the forum was intended to discuss "important economic
development, co-operation, how to address climate change, maritime,
fisheries and ICT connectivity for the Pacific." He did not suggest
in what forum West Papuan human rights might appropriately be
discussed, but implied that Indonesia's constitutional
protections and human rights commission were adequate.

Some Forum participants were notably determined
to press West Papua concerns. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh
Sogavare has emerged as strong defender of West Papua rights. He brought
his recently appointed Special Envoy for West Papua Matthew Wale
to Port Moresby and included Octo Mote, Secretary General of the United
Liberation Movement of West Papua, in his delegation.

If a
member of the UN is committing human rights violations
against its own people, it is no longer the issue that is
domestic to that country but one that must be addressed by
the United Nations.

Sogavare
insisted that "Bringing West Papua to the agenda of the Pacific
Islands Forum is within the framework of the Leaders meeting." He added
that "By virtue of our membership of the UN we recognise the sovereignty
of Indonesia over West Papua. But the same United Nations recognises
the rights of people for self-determination and violation against human
rights."

He added that "If a member of the UN is committing
human rights violations against its own people, it is no longer the
issue that is domestic to that country but one that must be addressed
by the United Nations."

Leaders of the United Liberation Movement
for West Papua (ULMWP) expressed gratitude to the Pacific leaders "for
being the sole moral voices on West Papua at the United Nations." ULMWP
spokesperson Benny Wenda
said that "We the people of West Papua listened to your historic
speeches at the UN, which have brought great hope, emotion and positivity,
which has displayed true Pacific solidarity for our people." Pacific Island Forum To Seek Fact-Finding
Mission to West Papua

The September
Pacific Island Forum gathering of regional leaders agreed to send a
fact-finding mission to West Papua. The decision reflects growing
regional concern about the plight of Papuans who have suffered grievously
under Indonesia's five-decade long occupation.

The call for a
fact-finding mission went forward notwithstanding doubts about its utility.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully
did not support the mission commenting that he had not seen a role
for such a mission. However, he did support discussion of the issue
at the forum.

There
are only two possible outcomes to expect from here on and that
is either Indonesia refuses outright the request of all Forum
leaders and face the consequences or they agree to begin a difficult
process that includes terms and condition for the fact-finding
mission.

Hopes for a successful mission rest
largely with Jakarta with whom the Forum, under the aegis of the Forum
Chair Papua New Guinea, must negotiate its terms. Indonesia
rendered a similar mission proposed by the Melanesian Spearhead Group
(MSG) in July 2013 useless. That mission
failed to undertake a comprehensive survey of conditions in West Papua
and was boycotted by Vanuatu, which protested the conditions imposed
by Jakarta on the mission. Credible
reports indicated that the Indonesian government had bribed some
regional officials in order to suborn the mission.

But there was a wary optimism that a Pacific Forum mission might
conduct a successful investigation. The Solomon Islands Special Envoy
on West Papua, Mathew Wale,
called the decision "historical," adding that "we see an opening
that gives us some comfort and hope that all Pacific leaders want all
parties to protect and uphold our human rights and put an end to this
atrocity."

Wale added that "There are only two possible
outcomes to expect from here on and that is either Indonesia refuses
outright the request of all Forum leaders and face[s] the consequences
or they agree to begin a difficult process that includes terms and condition
for the fact-finding mission."

He
indicated the complex regional politics involved: "The role of PNG
entrusted as chair of the Forum to begin these negotiations (with Jakarta)
places significant burden on PNG to ensure that it does not confuse
its bilateral economic and trade interest with Indonesia and its moral
responsibility to seeking a just resolution on behalf of the Forum member
countries and the people of the Pacific.

For its part the United
Movement for the Liberation of West Papua, which strenuously lobbied
for the Forum to consider the plight of Papuans during its September
meeting, cautiously welcomed the prospect of a "fact finding" mission.
UMLWP spokesperson Benny Wenda
called for the mission to include "independent candidates from all
sectors of society." In this context, Wenda underscored the role of
civil society in the region in advancing the cause of rights for West
Papuans:

"Solidarity support from the Pacific and globally have
heard the cries from West Papua, and we thank our people who continue
to support us. We appeal to our people to continue to hold their respective
governments to account and lobby our leaders to support our quest for
an independent fact finding mission, and also at the United Nations
to be listed on the Decolonisation List and for the UN to appoint a
Special Envoy for West Papua."

Octovianus Mote, Secretary-General
of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and a member
of the Solomon Islands delegation to the Forum,
said "What this means for us is that we have a right to be part
of this process."

WPAT Comment: Many regional governments
have in the past succumbed to Indonesian threats and blandishments again
and again over the issue of rights for the Papuans. Only the vigilant
involvement of civil society in the region and groups who have long
supported the cause of Papua rights can assure that their governments
pursue terms for an effective mission.

In recent months the West Papua Report has noted the repeated failure
of Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to live up to his pre-
and post-election promises to begin to deal fairly and honestly with
Papuans, whose abuse at the hands of security forces and nefarious corporate
developers has gravely threatened their existence. (See for example
What to Make of President Widodo.)

The project -- initially announced in 2009 by former president
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono -- was purportedly intended to raise production
of crops like rice, corn and soybean. The project faced massive opposition
from indigenous Papuans who protested developers confiscation of their
land, environmental degradation and violation of indigenous property
and other human rights.

"[This project] will [cause] a humanitarian
and ecological disaster victimizing the Papuans," he said, noting the
project has affected up to 100,000 people," said Yosafat Leonard Franky
of the indigenous rights group Pusaka.

This local opposition
was heard on the international stage when, in August 2013,
27 organizations petitioned the UN Committee On the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination. The groups
noted
that the MIFEE project threatened indigenous food security and the local
peoples cultural survival.

Opposition effectively stalled progress on the project in recent
years. But in May, President Widodo announced
plans to re-launch the project and said that the area allocated to it
would be expanded to 4.6 million hectares nearly tripling the original
plans for 1.6 million hectares.

This plan to revive and expand this massive commercial agribusiness
and biofuel project will bring greater violations of the land rights
of the indigenous and local communities than was originally feared at
the plan's inception, dramatically changing their way of life. MIFEE will convert
land used by the local Malind people into a plant for food, timber and
biofuel production.

"The project is full of bad practices, and it is difficult
to expect that it will bring about any positive impact on
Papuans. Instead, what happens is marginalization," Father Amo added.

The government has granted permits to 41 plantation companies to
operate on 1.5 million hectares of land reports Pusaka, an NGO working
on indigenous rights. Pusaka's Franky said that companies have
cleared thousands of hectares of palm trees. As a consequence, sago,
a major food staple extracted from the trees, is disappearing.

"Sago serves as the tribal people's cultural and religious identity.
It is used in the traditional ceremonies, such as birth and death. Its
value is very vital," he said.Indonesian Police Continue to Assault Papuan
Youths, Killing one in Timika

Indonesian
police in Timika, September 28, shot and killed one student and critically
wounded another. The dead student, Kaleb Bogau, is the son of a pastor
and an activist associated with the National Committee West Papua (KNPB).
Efrando Sabarofek was shot in the chest and leg. Both are 17 years old.
The police had raided a student gathering at a residential building
and fired on the students as
they ran into the street.

The September 28 incident also follows a police
assault on students on September 16 in Yahukimo. Hariel Lulu and
Arpius Magayang had been handing out leaflets about developments at
the Pacific Islands Forum. Police reportedly stopped the students,
beat them and forced them to
eat
the leaflets.

It is
not enough for President Joko Widodo to make bold promises
about promoting human rights in Papua unless it is followed
up with concrete action. This must include addressing the
underlying causes of violence and insecurity in West Papua.

Papuan human rights activist, Yones Douw, reacting to the
recent assaults on students, urged the central government to withdraw
troops from West Papua. "We, Papuans continue to be killed and we are
like animal in the eyes of Indonesia. I demand President Jokowi to pull
out the military from Papua because there is no benefit at all for Papua,"
he said.

Laurenzus Kadepa, a member of the Papua Legislative Council,
told Jubi that it seemed like military and police officials in Papua
"are racing to kill Papuans."
Minority Rights Group International (MRG) urged Indonesia's government
to conduct an investigation for this shooting. MRG said perpetrators
must be held accountable.

"There is no justification for these senseless murders and
the Indonesian government must urgently establish an independent inquiry
to hold perpetrators to account," said Claire Thomas, Deputy Director
at MRG. "Extrajudicial killings in West Papua have reached unacceptable
proportions, with the indigenous population living in daily fear of
security forces and for their lives."

"It is not enough for President
Joko Widodo to make bold promises about promoting human rights in Papua
unless it is followed up with concrete action," added Thomas. "This
must include addressing the underlying causes of violence and insecurity
in West Papua, including endemic impunity for state-sponsored violence
and the disregard for minority and indigenous rights."

The
Indonesian government plans to provide military training to civilians
living in border areas.
Announcing the plan, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu
said "If the country faces serious threats, people should assist the
military to protect the country. It is impossible for the military to
protect the country without getting any support from the people."

Ryamizard was visiting Natuna, Riau Islands, said that while
the military would train civilians in border areas, such as Merauke,
Maluku, and in the border areas of Sulawesi and Kalimantan, there was
no plan to distribute weapons to them.

Ryamizard had earlier
said that he wanted to enlist at least 100 million reservists. A draft
government bill - opposed by human rights groups - would conscript nearly
all citizens older than 18 into five years of military service

WPAT Comment: Throughout the Suharto dictatorship the Indonesian
military relied on paramilitaries as a quasi legal force for use against
those who spoke out against the dictatorship and the military repression
which kept it in power. Perhaps the most egregious employment of paramilitary
forces was in East Timor. Armed thugs worked with the military throughout
the 24-year Indonesian occupation of East Timor serving the military
as a force for intimidation of the civilian population. Paramilitaries
in East Timor were the tip of a lance which savaged the Timorese in
the run up to the 1999 referendum which freed East Timor. Following
the vote, paramilitary thugs worked alongside the military in killings
and property destruction that devastated East Timor. Paramilitaries
in West Papua and perhaps elsewhere seem likely to act similarly as
nationalist bullies and thugs serving as a cats paw for the military.

The December 2014 murder of four students
by Indonesian police remains stalled as the Indonesian government refuses
to its press investigation of the case. In its
latest delaying tactics, investigators pressing for autopsies which
would entail disinternment of the victims' bodies.

An Ad Hoc
Team operating under the auspicious of the National Commission on Human
Rights (Komnas Ham) which was delegated to investigate the murders, meanwhile,
has been stymied in proceeding with its investigation by a lack of government
funding.

The Institute for Policy Analysis
of Conflict's latest report,
The Current Status of the Papuan Pro-Independence Movement is
problematic. It devotes an inordinate amount of space on the on
the status and conflicts among different armed OPM groups, which
have become increasingly militarily and politically irrelevant.
The more interesting final third of the report looks at the "far
larger and far more active presence of the political pressure groups."
It notes the increasing unity inside the territory and among the
Papuan diaspora, but repeats past IPAC and International Crisis
Group reports' thinly-sourced accusations that some have been directly
involved in violence. While presenting an interesting mapping of
the actors, it fails to adequately present the full range of human
rights violations inflicted on the Papuan people by Indonesian authorities.
It does, however, acknowledge the effectiveness of the United Liberation
Movement (ULMWP) in building "an unprecedented and probably temporary
degree of unity to the movement."

Maori TV's Native Affairs program broadcast a two-part report
on West Papua in late September. Its report was by the first
New Zealand television crew allowed to visit West Papua in 50 years. The
first part of the report provides background with a focus on
the the political and human rights situation.
Part 2 features a village based project funded by New Zealand
supporting the farming and marketing of sweet potatoes. In a
separate segment, producer Adrian Stevanon provides insights
into reporting in West Papua.

An Indonesian diplomat responded to the article, "A new hopeful
chapter in West Papua's 50-year freedom struggle," in the comment
section of the Waging Nonviolence website where it was
originally posted. Yayan Gh Mulyana argues that while
conditions
are pretty good in West Papua thanks to Indonesian government policy,
President Widodo's policies will improve them even more. He says
that the Indonesian government stepped up 'aid' to Pacific island
countries had nothing to do with ULMWP's growing support in the
region and that "protecting and promoting the political, social,
cultural and economic rights of the Papuans is of paramount importance"
to the government. Jason Macleod, the article's author points
out that Dr. Mulyana, an Indonesian Consul-General of Indonesia in
Australia and responds that the root cause of the conflict is "not
economic, but political." He adds that "Until there is a much deeper movement
towards a just and sustainable peace by Jakarta and its international
political allies, West Papuans will continue to internationalize
the conflict. Among other things that will include challenging the
United States and Australian governments who continue to train and
arm the Indonesian security forces." Back issues
of West Papua Report